Joseph smith



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J. SMITH. Y

` :DIE PoR MANUFAGTURE 0F LINKS. VNo. 535,301. Patented Mar; 5,1895.-

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J SMITH DIE'roR MANUPAGTURE or LINKS.

(No Model.)

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'Nrrnn STATES PATENT Orefice.

JOSEPH SMITH, OF PUEBLA, MEXICO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN HENRYEBERT, OF SAME PLACE.

DIE FOR MANUFACTURE OF LINKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent` No. 535,301, dated March5, 1895.

Application tiled April 21, 1894..

To all whom ,it 'may concern.:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH SMITH, of Puebla, in the State of Puebla,Mexico, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dies forthe Manufacture of Links, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description.

The object of the invention is to provide certain new and usefulimprovements in the manufacture of links used for coupling railroad carsand for other purposes,and Whereby links can be very cheaply produced.

The invention consists of sets of dies for successively bending,swaging, overlapping and welding the iron to form the link.

Theinvention also consists of certain parts and details, andcombinations of the same, as will be hereinafter described, and thenpoint ed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the dies for bending the rod and meansfor operating the said dies, the means being shown in section. Fig. 2 isa plan View of the dies for bending the rod. Fig. 3 is a transversesection of the female die, on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4t is a sideelevation of the dies for swaging and overlapping the ends of the bentrod. Fig. 5 is a plan View of the same. Fig. 6 is an inner face View ofthe female die of the said swaging and overlapping dies. Fig. 7 is asimilar view of the male swaging and overlapping die. Fig. 8 isasectional side elevation of the swagng and overlapping dies, on theline 8 8 of Figs. 5 and 6. Fig. 9 is al plan view of the link afterswaging the ends. Fig. 10 is a sectional side elevation of the weldingdies. Fig. 11 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 12 is an inner face view of the female welding die. Fig. 13 isasimilar View of the male Welding die. Figs. 14 and 15 are perspectiveviews of the link before and after overlapping the ends. Fig. 16 is aperspective view of the female dies assembled in one piece. Fig. 17 is asimilar view of a male die in which all the male dies are assembled inone piece; and Fig. 18 is a similar view of the dies shown Serial No.508.489. (No model.)

in Figs. 16 and 17, in position and with parts broken out.

As shown in the drawings, the individual dies for bending the rod,swaging and overlapping and welding the same maybe in separate sets, asshown in Figs. 1 to 13, inclusive, or the dies may be assembled in twopieces of which one carries all the female dies; see Fig. 16; and theother carries all the male dies, as shown in Fig. 17'. As shown in Fig.,1, a boltheading machine A of any approved construction carries afemale die B fastened in place by aset screw or othersnitable means, thesaid female die being formed on its top surface with twolongitudinally-extending ridges B and B2, slightly rounded at theirinner corners, as plainly shown in Fig. 2.

In the top surface of the female die B and in the middle thereof isarranged the longitudinally'extending groove B3, the upper edges ofwhich are a suitable distance from the inner walls of the ridges B andB2, the said distance corresponding to the diameter or thickness of therod O, to be formed into a link. The inner ends of the ridges B and B2terminate a suitable distance from the inner end of the die, so as toform a seat B4 on which the rod O is placed, the latter abutting againstthe inner ends of the said ridges B and B2.

In the groove B3 reciprocates the male die D having a forward roundedsemi-circular end and connected at its rear end with a suitablereciprocating mechanism E of the machine A, so as to move the male dieforward and backward in the groove B to about the height of the ridges Band B2. Now, when the rod O is in position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2,and a reciprocating motion is given to the male die D, then the forwardend of the latter engages the middle of the link C and forces the sameinward so as to bend the rod into a U-shape having side members C andC2, and the rounded portion C3, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2,and also shown in Fig. 9. y

When the rod has been bent in this manner, then the male die D movesoutward and the bent rod is then removed from the female die B to-beneXt treated in the swaging dies IOO F and G for forming lips C4 and C3on the sides C and C2 of the bent link. The female swaging die F isformed on its inner face with the recesses or grooves F and F2 arrangedparallel to each other and slightly inclined upwardly, as plainly shownin Fig. G, the said grooves being placed a distance apart correspondingto the distance between the sides C and C2 of the link to be formed.Theinner end ofthe groove F terminatesin an enlargement F3 having bevelsides and extending toward the inner end of the groove F2, the saidgroove F2 terminating at its inner end in a bevel F4 extending towardthe enlargement F3, as shown in Fig. G.

The inner face of the male die G is likewise provided with a groove Garranged opposite the groove F when the two dies move together and alsoprovided with a groove G2 in alignment with the groove F2. rIhe innerend of the groove G in the male die G terminates in a bevel offset G3and the inner end of the groove G2 terminates in an enlarge ment G4having` bevel sides. See Fig. 7. Now, when the dies are apart, then thebent rod C is placed with its sides C and C2 into the grooves F and F2,as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6, so that the ends of the sidesare at the inner ends of the grooves F and F2, and when the male die Gnow moves inward toward the fixed female die F, then the ends of thesides C and C2 are pressed or swaged on by the offset G3 and the bevelF4, so as to form the lips C4 and C3 on the ends of the sides C and G2,as illustrated in Fig. 9. When the die G recedes then the link havingswaged lips is removed from the female die, and is then treated to a setof dies for overlapping the lip ends of the link, as illustrated in Fig.5. This set of dies is preferably formed on the dies F and G and on thetop of the same, and for this purpose the die F is provided on its topwith a wedge-shaped projection H arranged obliquely and having its innerend II rounded off while its outer side H2 is curved as plainlyindicated in Figs. 5 and 8.

On the top of the male die G is formed a curved shoulder H3 terminatingin a second shoulder H4 adapted to form an abutment for the respectivelip C4 or C5. Now, after the lips have been formed in the dies F and G,then the link is placed upon the top of the female die F so that oneside Crests against the bevel side H2 of the projection H, while theother side G2 rests against the rounded end I-l and projects beyond theface of the die F. Now,when the male die G moves inward, then theshoulder H3 engages the free end of the side C2 and bends the sameinward around the rounded end H of the projection H as indicated indotted lines in Fig. 5. When this has been done, and the die G movesoutward, then the link is removed and reversed so that the side C2 restsagainst the curved side H2 of the projection H and the side C projectsbeyond the face of the die F to be engaged by the then inwardly-movingmale die G to be bent over the rounded end H', so as to overlap the bentpart of the side C', as plainly illustrated in Fig. 15.

It will be seen that the lips C4 and C5 by this process, are caused toproperly overlap so that the link is now closed at both ends and theoverlapped end is ready for welding. Previous to being welded, however,it is desirable to round as much as possible, the swaged overlapped lipsC4 and (13,'and for this purpose, the welding dies I and J shown inFigs. 10, l1, 12 and 13, are formed with dies for the purpose mentioned.

The female die I is provided on its top with a longitudinally-extendingprojection I formed atits inner end with an approximately semi-circulargroove I2 and on the top of the male die J is formed a semi-circularprojection J formed with an approximately semicircular groove J2 in itsface, as plainly shown in the figures referred to. The width of theprojection I corresponds to the distance between the sides Gaud C2 ofthe link, and when the latter is placed over the said projection withthe overlapping lips C4 and C5 abutting in the groove I2, and the maledie J is moved inward then the shoulder J Wit-h its groove J2, engagesand presses the overla-pped lips C4 and C3 onto the projection I',whereby the said overlapped lips are smoothed and rounded 0E so that thelink at this end presents 'a uniform circular cross section. The linkthus formed is now swaged in the dies I and J, and for this purpose thedie I is formed in its face with a semi-circular recess or groove I3adapted to receive the rounded overlapped end of the link, as indicatedin dotted lines in Fig. 12. The inner ends of th-is groove I3 terminatein the top face of the die I on opposite sides of the project-ion I, asplainly shown in Figs. 11 and 12.

. On the inner face of the male die J isarranged a semi-circularprojection J3 formed with a semi-circular groove J4 and located directlyopposite the groove I3 in the female die I. Now, when the link is placedin position in the said groove I3, as shown in Fig. 12, and 'the maledie J moves inward, then the overlapped lips C4 and C3 are swaged by theaction of the projection J3 on the male die J. By this last step in theprocess the link is finished. Thus, it will be seen that by successivelytreating the rod C in the manner described, a link of great durabilityand strength is produced in a very cheap and economical manner.

As illustrated in Figs. 16,17 and 18, the dies K and L contain all theseparate dies above mentioned, that is to say, the die K contains thefemale die K corresponding to the die G, the male die K3 correspondingto the shoulder H3 for bending the ends of the sides of the rod afterswaging and the male die K4 for finally swaging the link andcorresponding to the male die J. The die L is provided wit'h the maledie L corresponding to the die D, the female die L2 corresponding to IOOIlO

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the die F for svi/aging, the die L3 corresponding to the projection Hfor bending, and the die L4 for welding finally the link, andcorresponding to the female die I. By using these two dies K and L only,the above described process is repeated for forming the rod Cinto alink, the rod being successively treated in the several dies forbending, swaging to form the lips, overlapping the lips, rounding theoverlapped ends and finally Welding the latter, as above described.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. In the manufacture of links, a set of diesfor bending the iron into U-shape and comprising a female die formedWith two longitudinally extending ridges, and a longitudinal grooveformed centrally between the ridges, the distance on each side betweenthe edge of the central groove and the inner wall of the ridgecorresponding to the diameter of the rod to be formed into a link, and amale die adapted to reciprocate in the said central longitudinal groove,substantially as shown and described.

2. In the manufacture of links, a set of swaging dies comprising afemale die formed in its face with grooves F F2, the groove Fterminating at its inner end in an enlargement F3 having bevel sides andthe groove F2 terminating in a bevel F4, and a male die formed in itsinner face with grooves G G2, the groove G terminating in an offset G3and the groove G2 in an enlargement G4 having bevel sides, substantiallyas shown and described.

3. In the manufacture of links, a set of bending dies comprising afemale die having a projection H formed With a rounded end H, and a maledie having a curved shoulder H3 terminating in an abutment H4,substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination with a female die provided With a longitudinalprojection, the front face of which extends beyond. the inner or frontface of the die and is provided With a semi-circular groove, the saiddie being further prcvided with a semicircular groove in its inner orfront face, of a male die having a semi-circular shoulder grooved at theinner face, the ends of the said shoulder extending beyond the inner orfront face of the die, and a semi-circular projection formed lon theinner or front face of the said die and provided With a semi-circulargroove in its face, substantially as shown and described.

JOSEPH SMITH.

Witnesses:

O. H. ELEY AGRAMONT, JAMES W. PoRoH.

